Chapter 252 - 252 252 The Bridge Collapse

Words : 1127 Updated : Sep 29th, 2025

252: Chapter 252 The Bridge Collapse 252: Chapter 252 The Bridge Collapse Before dawn, the eastern sky was just beginning to show the first light of day. Police stations, transportation departments, fire departments, hospitals—all had been thrown into chaos. Ye Shikai received news of the Huatao Bridge collapse and immediately drove to the scene, only to be shocked by the sight before him. The once dragon-like Huatao Bridge had shattered into pieces and sunk into the river, while hundreds of cars still floated on the surface, with the occasional body drifting slowly by, carried away by the current... Cries, shouts of alarm, lamentations, and curses were intermingled. The entire three-kilometer Huatao Bridge collapsed within half a minute... Almost all Yanjing officials had arrived at the scene. The mayor was directing the rescue, joined by traffic police, armed police, firefighters, and even SWAT teams were all involved in the rescue operation. Ye Shikai quickly approached Song Tian. “Mr. Song, what happened?” Ye Shikai, agitated, grabbed Song Tian’s arms, eager to find out exactly what had occurred. “Last night, the Huatao Bridge collapsed,” Song Tian said, his face ashen. Watching as people were continuously pulled to shore, some saved by CPR, while others were already covered by a white sheet, Song Tian, a man as tough as iron, could not help but tear up at the sight. Ye Shikai wished he could use his Inner Strength to save people, but reason told him not to be so impulsive. There were already dozens of cranes by the river, all there to retrieve vehicles. He entered the crowd and saw a little girl who had fallen into the water; several people were performing CPR on her. Ye Shikai rushed over and directly channeled his Inner Strength into her body. “Cough cough.” A mouthful of water was expelled from the girl’s lungs, and her large eyes slowly opened. If it had been even a little later, she would have drowned. With this method, Ye Shikai successively saved more than a dozen lives. Soon, many media outlets arrived at the scene and started filming and interviewing. Ye Shikai stood on a mound of earth, looking at the tragic scene before him, feeling as if needles were piercing his heart. A light drizzle began to fall from the sky, and the river surface in the early hours was bitingly cold... Huatao Bridge’s collapse was unexpected by everyone. It was already late at night when the bridge collapsed suddenly and without warning, the roaring sound echoing like an earthquake. It was quickly discovered, and calls flooded into the police station. The city’s police, firefighters, medical teams, and rescue squads all converged on the riverbank. Although they arrived in time and saved many lives, it was undeniable that several dozen people were no longer with us. In the police station, Ye Shikai’s expression was somber. The final tally was in: fifty-three people were dead. The focus of Yanjing’s public opinion seemed to shift elsewhere... But. “Mr. Ye, have a look at this,” Tianjing stepped into Ye Shikai’s office, hesitant to disturb him in his grief but the news he brought might greatly interest Ye Shikai. “This is...” Tianjing handed Ye Shikai a newspaper, today’s freshly printed issue. “Mothman sighted, Huatao Bridge collapses!” Ye Shikai roared, stunned by the headline. It occupied a full page of the newspaper, and beneath the title was a photo, with an enlarged one attached next to it. In the photo was a pair of glowing, crimson eyes, long and somewhat transparent wings, a human figure—exactly matching the characteristics of Mothman, gliding in midair with the collapsed Huatao Bridge below. “A passerby took this photo by chance with an SLR camera; it’s quite clear,” said Tianjing, picking up the newspaper. The Mothman murders were already infamous, and now the newly-opened large bridge had collapsed. With this, the public’s outrage was bound to boil over... Ye Shikai yelled an expletive, crumpling the newspaper tightly in his hand and hurling it at the wall. Ye Shikai had seen the National Security Bureau’s files; abroad, there were records of eyewitnesses seeing Mothman, an enigmatic being whose existence remained a mystery. Decades ago, similarly, a large bridge had collapsed, resulting in the deaths of many civilians, and something resembling Mothman was captured above the bridge, leading to rumors that Mothman had caused its fall. Now, history seemed to be repeating itself with the bridge incident. Mothman was destined to stir up a major commotion. Public opinion is something to be feared, the immense pressure from society’s voice was exactly what Ye Shikai didn’t wish to see. “Director Jin’s orders, we must crack the ‘Mothman’ case within three days,” Tianjing said gravely. He had never faced such immense pressure since joining the National Security Bureau, and at this crucial juncture, in walked a man and two women into the office. “Jing Xie, Shen Wu, Phoenix, what brings you here?” Tianjing greeted the newcomers, a slight smile finally surfacing on his somber face. “If you’re in trouble, of course we’re here to help,” Jing Xie said, giving Tianjing a hug. “Watch me find that Mothman and give him a good thrashing,” declared Shen Wu, pouting resentfully, but her gaze was fixed on Ye Shikai. It seemed that the matter of retrieving her ID from her underwear last time was still on her mind. “Mr. Ye, I guess I needn’t introduce these people to you.” Tianjing said to Ye Shikai, his face bearing a wry smile. “Of course, it’s not our first meeting,” Ye Shikai replied feebly, as if exhausted. “You guys talk, I’m going to lie down for a while,” said Ye Shikai disheartened, standing up from his worn-out state, plus a sleepless night, his drowsiness suddenly took over. “Hey, Tianjing, what’s with him?” Shen Wu was displeased. At such a critical time, Ye Shikai was actually going to rest. She tried to stop him but was held back by Tianjing. “Let him rest. He’s been very down because of the Huatao Bridge incident.” Through their recent interactions, the barriers between Tianjing and Ye Shikai had gradually diminished. Tianjing was the one most prejudiced and wary of Ye Shikai, but now he had come to trust him. Ye Shikai drifted into a groggy sleep, haunted in his dreams by the bodies of the victims. He silently swore to himself that he would capture Mothman, even if it meant using the power of the Netherworld Palace. The Huatao Bridge incident served as a catalyst, rapidly inflating the “Mothman” in the public eye, now a subject that sparked fear, as baseless rumors quickly spread. Mothman had become synonymous with disaster and misfortune.

Chapter 252 - 252 252 The Bridge Collapse

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